Sam Ryder breaks his silence after Wham! beat him to the Christmas number one spot

Sam Ryder has returned to social media after Wham! beat him to the Christmas number one spot with their iconic song Last Christmas.

The 34-year-old Eurovision star narrowly missed out on top spot with his own festive song, after the much-loved '80s song finally topped the charts after a 39-year wait.

George Michael – who died on Christmas Day in 2016 aged 53 – released the festive tune in 1984, but it had never managed to reach the coveted top spot during the Christmas period until Friday evening.

It was denied the top spot the year of its release by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?

After the Official Chart show, Sam posted a video of himself on Instagram reaching second place with You're Christmas To Me, praising George Michael for 'inspiring generations'.

Sam Ryder, 34, broke his silence on Friday night, after Wham! beat him to the Christmas number one spot with their iconic song Last Christmas

George Michael's festive song from 1984 is now at Christmas number one for the first time

George Michael's festive song from 1984 is now at Christmas number one for the first time

Sam posted a video of himself on Instagram reaching second place with You're Christmas To Me, praising George Michael for 'inspiring generations'

Sam posted a video of himself on Instagram reaching second place with You're Christmas To Me, praising George Michael for 'inspiring generations'

Speaking to fans on camera, Sam said: 'If you've just heard the news, I can let you know with an open heart of gratitude that we are Britain's number two at Christmas!

“Bigger Andrew. Make the whole Wham bigger! team. Just an absolutely unstoppable force, and rightly so. They are icons! They are legends. You know what: it feels great to be part of a Wham! and a Mariah sandwich.

I can tell you that for sure. And number two has always been a magic number for us, and that won't change.

'I want to thank you very much for the support and the faith and the trust.

“This was a position that I cannot explain or emphasize enough. That it was so unexpected for us to take part and I think you have a responsibility as an artist in the running for Christmas number one…

“You have to… You have to make it a race and we did everything we could to get the number one spot.

'Do you know why? It's because we're inspired by the legends we work with! Mariah. Wham!

'These artists didn't become icons and legends by never giving their all in their careers. So we were inspired and followed by their blazing bright footsteps.

Eurovision star Sam launched an aggressive marketing campaign in the battle to get his new song, You're Christmas To Me, up the charts

Eurovision star Sam launched an aggressive marketing campaign in the battle to get his new song, You're Christmas To Me, up the charts

'I think it's cool to have a tight Christmas Number 1 race, it's the most prestigious Number One of the year and we wanted to make it as entertaining and joyful as possible for all of you at home!

'Thank you for your involvement! And so much love again for Andrew! I just chatted to him on Radio 1 with Jack Saunders and I see they are related.

'It took them a long time to get that Christmas number one for the actual Christmas week. So I'm sure George is up there, with a smile and he continues to inspire future generations of singers. Me included!

“Big up Andrew, thanks for continuing that legacy. Yes, I have stock! What a day! Blessed! Peace!'

Amid one of the fiercest battles for the Christmas crown in recent memory, the race was almost too close to be labeled as 80s icons! battled the likes of Mariah Carey and The Pogues to claim the title 39 years after its release.

The song became the bookies' favorite to climb the charts following an earlier rush by The Pogues fans to get Fairytale of New York to Number 1 in memory of the Irish folk band's frontman Shane MacGowan, who died in November.

Ultimately, the band's duet with Kirsty MacColl failed to make the top five, which was completed by Eurovision star Sam Ryder's You're Christmas To Me, Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You, Noah Kahan's Stick Season and Ed Sheeran. and Elton John's duet Merry Christmas.

Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You came third on the chart

Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You came third on the chart

The Pogues' Fairytale of New York was a contender for Christmas number one after frontman Shane MacGowan died in November

The Pogues' Fairytale of New York was a contender for Christmas number one after frontman Shane MacGowan died in November

Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts, said of Wham!'s historic achievement: 'After taking first place for the first time last year, it is fantastic that WHAM! have finally claimed the honor of Christmas number 1.

'Of course WHAM's victory means! also that someone has to come second and it's hard to remember a harder working Christmas Number 2 artist than Sam Ryder, who has more than thirty shows under his belt in the last seven days. to take the crown.

'Sam has truly made it a chart topper to remember – and we should be comforted by the many years it has taken for an iconic song like Last Christmas to claim this chart-topping single.'

FULL LIST OF CHRISTMAS UK ISSUE
YEAR SONG SINGER
2023 Last Christmas Wham!
2022 Food aid BoyBaby
2021 Sausage rolls for everyone LadBaby with Ed Sheeran and Elton John
2020 Don't stop me from eating BoyBaby
2019 I like sausage rolls BoyBaby
2018 We built this city BoyBaby
2017 Perfect Ed Sheeran
2016 Rockabye Clean Bandit with Sean Paul and Anne-Marie
2015 A bridge over you Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir
2014 Something I need Ben Haenow
2013 Skyscraper Sam Bailey
2012 He's not heavy, he's my brother The Justice Collective
2011 Wherever you are Military Women with Gareth Malone
2010 When we collide Matt Cardle
2009 Murders in name Rage against the machine
2008 Hallelujah Alexandra Burke
2007 When you believe Leon Jackson
2006 A moment like this Leona Lewis
2005 That's my goal Shayne Ward
2004 Do they know it's Christmas? Band Aid
2003 Crazy world Michael Andrews and Gary Jules
2002 Sound of the subway Girls out loud
2001 Something stupid Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman
2000 Can we fix it? Bob the Builder
1999 I have a dream/seasons in the sun Westleven
1998 Bye Spice Girls
1997 Too many Spice Girls
1996 2 Word 1 Spice Girls
1995 Earth song Michael Jackson
1994 Stay another day East 17
1993 Mr Blob Mr Blob
1992 I will always love you Whitney Houston
1991 Bohemian Rhapsody Queen
1990 Day of the Savior Cliff Richard
1989 Do they know it's Christmas? Band aid II
1988 Mistletoe and wine Cliff Richard
1987 Always in my thoughts Pet Shop Boys
1986 Reet Klein Jackie and Wilson
1985 Merry Christmas everyone Steven's shaking
1984 Do they know it's Christmas? Band Aid
1983 Only you The flying pickets
1982 Save your love Renee and Renato
1981 Don't you want me? The Human League
1980 There's no one like Grandma St. Winifred's School Choir
1979 Another brick in the wall, part two Pink Floyd
1978 Mary's boy child – Oh my Lord Boney M
1977 Mull of Kintyre/girls school Wings
1976 When a child is born Johnny Mathis
1975 Bohemian Rhapsody Queen
1974 Lonely this Christmas Mud
1973 Merry Christmas everyone Slade
1972 Long-haired lover from Liverpool Jimmy Osmond
1971 The fastest milkman in the West Bennie Heuvel
1970 I hear you knocking Dave Edmunds
1969 Two little boys Rolf Harris
1968 Lily the Pink The scaffold
1967 Hello Goodbye The Beatles
1966 1964 'I Feel Fine' 5 1965 'Day Tripper' Can Make It”[nb 3] 5 1966 Tom Jones 'Green, green grass from home' Tom Jones
1965 Day tripper / We'll figure it out The Beatles
1964 I feel fine The Beatles
1963 I want to hold your hand The Beatles
1962 Return to sender Elvis Presley
1961 Moon river Danny Williams
1960 I love you Cliff Richard and The Shadows
1959 Why do you want to make those eyes at me? Emilie Ford and the Checkmates
1958 It's just pretending Conway Twitty
1957 Mary's boy child Harry Belafonte
1956 Just walk in the rain Johnny Ray
1955 Christmas alphabet Dickie Valentine
1954 Let's have another party Winifred Atwell
1953 Answer Frankie Laine
1952 Here in my heart Al Martino